Even people with a gift for words can find themselves at a loss when it comes to expressing their sympathy to someone else. Often, people will send flowers. However, when it comes time to jot down a few words to accompany those flowers, you may find yourself unable to say anything or fear you might say the wrong thing.
1. Avoid Wordiness
You don't have to spell out all your thoughts on the situation. The less you say, the better. As long as the words come from the heart, the recipient will feel your intent. Don't write pages when you can sum it all up with a sentence or two.
Even something as short as 'thinking of you during this time,' can work well. A grieving person may not have the time or inclination to read a ton of prose. Take a light touch when it comes to what you say, and it will speak volumes for you.
2. Avoid Anything Negative or Inappropriate
The message you send along with your flowers should have no negative connotations or anything close to negativity. You shouldn't mention anything along the lines of validating the situation as a good thing or speaking about the situation in detail. This isn't the time for that sort of thing, even if you and the recipient have a sense of humor that can justify such words.
3. Avoid Overly Positive Messages
Now is not the time to tell someone it's going to get better, to look at the bright side, or to cheer up. Sympathizing with someone means you understand what they're growing through and share their feelings in the now. Those shared feelings are what you want to convey in your message. An overly positive message can come off as insensitive.
4. Avoid Overshadowing the Message of the Flowers
Whether for a funeral or to express sympathy for another reason, your flowers will do most of the heavy work. The flowers themselves will express how you're feeling and show your sympathy for you.
A good florist will know which flowers will work best for the situation. Because the flowers will do most of the work, you can leave a message that doesn't require a lot of writing or wordiness.
Speak to a local florist about which flowers or arrangements will best suit the situation. When it comes time to write a few words to accompany those flowers, keep these tips in mind.
